Train-controlled railway-crossing gate



21 1927. June A. E. BROWN TRAIN CONTROLLED RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Auz. 2a. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwmntoz 21 192 June 7 A. E. BROWN TRAIN CONTROLLED RAILWAY CROSSING'GATE 2 t e e h 4 S t e e h s 2 I 6 2 L u A Ill 1111 I l fiflflffldllil fill!!! I I!!! fllll df/l/llll Patented June 21, 1927.

; NITEofsTATEs PATENT OFF'KZE.

Amos 1:. BROWN, of Damascus, ARKANSAS.

TRAIN-CONTROLLED RAILWAY-CROSSINGGATE. I

Applioationfiled August 26,1926. Serial No. 131,737.,

holding the gate closed until the train leaves Y the section of the track connected with the motor, a counter-balance weight being secured to the gate and normally tending to open the gate when the motor ceases 'to operate. o Y

v The invention will be described in detail hereinafter and will be found illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway and highway crossing showing one of my "gates located for controlling the crossing,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the gate stand, showing the gate in position and the operation mechanism therefor, and including a diagram of the electric circuit for controlling the operation of the motor,

Figure 3 1s a fragmental sectional view on a plane indicated by the line 331of Figure 2,

Figure 4 a detail view in section of the gate shaft actuating mechanism showing the position of the parts when the gate is in an open position,

Figure-5 is a similar view as thatof Figure 4 showing the position of the parts when the gate is in a'closed position, and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional'view on a plane indicated by'the line 6'-6 of Figure 4.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

In Figure 1 is shown a railway crossing in which A indicates the vehicle highway and B the railroad track, the gate for protecting the highway A being operated from a gate stand, the gate being designated 2.

Within the gate stand 1 is a supporting frame 3 from which the various instrumentalities hereinafter described to operate the gate 2 are supported, 4 designating a shaft journaled in said frame 3 on which the gate 2 is secured for rotation therewith, and held normally in a raised or open position'by means of a weight 5 that is sufficiently heavier than the gate to raise the gate and rotate the; shaft and operate the working I parts I connected; therewith that will be hereinafter more fully vdescribed, when the power for .closing the gate/isshut off. 7

' A motor 6 is supported in the upper part of the frame 3 and. controlled by means of the wires 7 and 8 connected with a section of the track B, designated 9Vthat is insulated from the remainder of the track the distance on each side of the highway A asshown at 10, llindicating a source of electric energy to actuate the motor 6. It will be apparent from this construction that when a train enters the section 9 of the track B that the circuit will be closed by the wheel trucks of the train to energize the motor. 6, and the energization of the motor will continue as long as a part of the train remains onthe section 9. 4 l

' A series of shafts 12, 13, 14, and are journaled in frame 3. Shaft 12is geared to the shaft 16 of the motor 6 by the gearing l7, shafts 12 and 13 are connected by gearing 18, shafts 13 and 14 are connected by gearing-19, and shafts 14-and 15 are connected by gearing 20, each of these sets of gearing being arranged to reduce the speed of the motor shaft 16 to a desired speed of the shaft 15. 21 indicates a vertical shaft journaled in a supporting, member 22 secured in the supporting frame 3 and'geared to shaft 15 by the bevel gearing 23. 24 indicates a ratchet wheel secured to shaft 21.

25 designates a shaft having a hollow head 26 to receive the end of the shaft 21 and the ratchet wheel 24, and is held from endwise movement relatively to the shaft 21 by means of a cover plate 27; 28ind'icates a pawl pivotally mounted as at 29in the head 26 and heldin engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel-24 by means of an expansible"coil'spring"30. Thesha'ft 25 is formed with aworm or threads 31. 32 indicates a slide bearing supported by member 33, and

forming a bearing for the plunger 34' that is hollow and internally threaded as shown at 35 to engage the threads 31 on the shaft 25. Stem 36 of the plunger 34 extends through an opening 37 in the bottom of the slide bearing 32 andhas a cross head 38 to which is pivotally secured links 39 at one of their ends, the other ends of said links 39 being pivotally secured to a disk 40 secured to shaft 4. i

41 indicates a bell or any other suitable alarm that is energized from the circuit comprising-thewires 7 and S'bymeansof thewire's- 41 and42, it being designed that the bell or other alarm 41 shall beenergized and sound an alarm simultaneously with the, operation of the gate.

In operation it wi'l-l':be 'apparentthat 'whenw the train enters the section 9 of the track, as heretofore referred to'-"- and the "motor 6 is energized, that shaft 21 will be actuated through the train of gearing comprising the shafts 12,13, 14, and'15, andi'th'e-"gearing'l'T, 1 8, 19 and 20, andthe gearing'23. When the shaft21 isactuated' the plunger 34 will be moved"downwardly through the threaded engagement with the threads or worm 31 and the threads 35,, a'nd'by such movement downwardly the shaft 4 will be rotated to move the gate 2int'o a closed position, the position of the plunger 34 when the gate isclose'd being shown in" Figure 5 of the drawings, and thecoiitinued operation of thexniotor 6 will serve to'ihold'the plunger'84' in a lowered position after the threads '31 and 35 are disconnected,'the shaft 25 b'eing' turned on the upper end of the plunger 34 and the'gate will be held in a closed position aslong as any part of a train is on the section 9 of the track. When the train hasentirely left the track the energization of the motor will cease. and the weight 5 will then move the gate to its open position andby so doing the plunger-'34 will be raise'dfon the shaft'25, and the parts will he restored to the-original position ready for another operation.

44 indicates a spring in the slide bearing 32 and engaging the plunger. 34 and nor mally tending to raise the plunger, said spring assisting in return of the plunger to its original position after operating the gate to a closed position as hereinbefore described.

The invention has been shown connected with but a single gate on one' side of a railway at a crossing, but it will be clearly understood that a gate is to'be erected at each side of-the crossing, and-that either the two gates may beoperatedb'ythewell known means forfactuating railway gatesfrom a single control, or a separateoperating' mechanlsm may be provlded for each gate.

l/Vhat is: claimed is;:-. L A CIOSSlIlg gate operatingmechanism,

comprising a stand, a shaft journale'd thereand disk, a threaded shaft engaging in said plunger, said" shaft being-gearedtofsa'id motor toactuatefthe gate'to closed position, and 'a counter-Weight to return the gate to open position whent-he motor is stopped;

2. A railway crossing gate operating mechanism, comprising afistand, ashaftzjoun naled in said stand, a gate secured to said shaft, a counterbalance weight secured to the gate-and operating to hold it normally in open position, a slide bearing in said stand, an internally threaded hollow-plunger in said slide bearing and" operati'VelyI coiin-ected to said shaft to rot'ateit, a shaft gage the internally threaded plunger, an

electric motor supported insaid-stand,and

gearing connecting said motor and the last mentioned shaft.

3. A" railway crossing gate operating mechanism, comprising a stand, a shaft journaled in said stand, agate securedto said U operatively connected to said shaft to rotate it, an expansible spring in StllClSllClQ hearing and engaging said plunger to normally raise it, a vertical shaft journaled in said stand and having a ratchet wheel secured journaled in said stand and threaded to ,en-

thereto, a threaded shaft working in the v internally threaded plunger, a detent'on said shaft and engagingthe ratchet wheel aforesaid, an electric motor supported n said stand, meansiopera-ted by a trainto control the operation of the motor, and gearing connecting said motor and the vertical s'haft,

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature.

Mo snows. f 

